1952 Map of Cerro Montoso

About this map

The Pinos Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape within the historic Sevilleta Grant during the early 1950s. The map illustrates a land defined by water scarcity and extensive ranching operations, where life centers around scattered improvements such as the Burris and Nunn Ranch and Parker Ranch. The terrain is marked by a network of drainage features like Montosa Draw and Entraniosa Draw, which are critical to the survival of the era's cattle industry. Small-scale infrastructure is visible in the form of named water points and processing sites, including the Tom Wright Mill, John Renolds Tank, and Agua de los Torres Mill. High points such as Cerro Montoso and Cerro Pelon provide significant landmarks for navigation across the Sepultura Flat. The presence of the Grant Boundary and Base Line shows the formal surveying of this otherwise sparsely populated Socorro County territory.